Invalided Desert Rat who campaigned for respect for veterans

Syd Deakin who died, on 29 November, 2007, at the age of 85, was a Second World War veteran who became the face of a Derby Evening Telegraph campaign.

The former Desert Rat lost both his legs and was blind in one eye due to shrapnel wounds sustained while serving in the army.

The pensioner was in the 7th Armoured Division and had fought in North Africa, where his tank was blown up on three occasions.

Mr Deakin, of Normanton, also led the Evening Telegraph's Show Some Respect Campaign, which urged Derby City Council to better protect the city's war memorial in the Market Place.

He later campaigned against city council home care cuts when he lost his home cleaning help. His service was reinstated after a public outcry.

Former city councillor Dave Black, of Derby, had known Mr Deakin for more than five years and was with him hours before he died. He said: "I first came into contact with Mr Deakin when I was working as a local councillor. Syd had got in contact with me as he wanted some help with writing letters.

"That first meeting finished with us writing a whole pamphlet called Syd Deakin Wants To Know about a whole range of issues, which we posted to everyone from MPs to the Prime Minister.

"We had been friends ever since then. Syd was such a character and had lots of stories to tell, some of which are unprintable!"

Mr Black and Mr Deakin regularly collected on Saturdays for Combat Stress, a charity which helps war veterans cope with the after-effects of military service. It is thought that Mr Deakin raised more than £40,000 for the organisation.

The pensioner lost his right leg 16 years ago and his left leg 13 years ago, but he lived alone until he was admitted to hospital earlier this month. The injury which resulted in Mr Deakin losing his legs happened back in 1942, at the battle of El Alamein, in northern Egypt.

Speaking about his memories of the battle, he had said: "Basically I got blown up a couple of times in a tank and my legs were peppered with shrapnel. Over the years this started to go rusty and I ended up with gangrene."

Mr Deakin died at Derbyshire Royal Infirmary after suffering a heart attack.